The present invention relates to an arrangement for lubricating saw chains of power chain saws, which have saw chains with chip removing members, cutting-tooth members, connecting links, and other chain members connected to each other by means of rivet connections. The extensions of the chip removing members run in a guide bar provided with an oil supply. The chip removing members are provided on at least one of their side surfaces with at least one oil guide in the form of a groove in the side surface, with such oil guide extending counter to the running direction of the saw chain and at an incline upwardly toward the rivet connections.
An arrangement for lubricating a saw chain of this type is disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 3,478,787 Piller, issued Nov. 18, 1969, which provides means by which oil delivered from the bar or blade of a chain saw into the peripheral saw chain channel or the bar will, upon rapid travel of the saw chain, automatically cause oil to pass to the pivot pin in the saw chain links where lubrication need is the greatest. In this prior art, the chip removing members are provided with two oil guides embodied separately from each other, so that the lubricant is conveyed only separately and in such quantity to the rivet connections as made available at the mouth or opening of the particular oil guide. The lubricant reaches the rivet at only one location, and is only supplied in a narrow region to the surface to be lubricated between the connecting link or the cutting tooth member and the chip removing member. The lubricant distributes itself upon the surface and around the rivet during the operation mostly due to the movement of the contact surfaces of the members relative to each other, or due to the movement of the rivet in the chip removing member. The separate supply of lubricant to each individual rivet connection has the disadvantage that the opening or mouth located closest to the bottom of the guide bar has available a greater quantity of lubricant than does the mouth or opening of the oil guide for the other rivet connection of the same chip removing member located thereabove.
The more sparcely lubricated rivet connection is subjected to greater wear and possibly becomes more difficult to move, which also influences the durability of the adjoining rivet connections.